President Kagame oversaw the swearing-in of the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice at Parliament, Thursday.
President Paul Kagame says Rwanda cannot accept to be taken back into things that defined the country before, including injustice and divisions, sending a warning that anyone who wants to set the country back will be dealt with by the law, or any other means.
The Head of State made the observation on Thursday at Parliament, while officiating at the swearing-in of the new Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Court, Domitilla Mukantaganzwa and the Deputy Chief Justice, Alphonse Hitiyaremye, pointing out that in the past, Rwanda did not have a functional justice system and a lot has been done to put in place one over the past three decades or so.
President Kagame said that Rwanda’s history shows that not everyone received the justice they deserved or desire, whereby some people were deprived of justice than others, which resulted into the painful history that led to Rwandans getting divided to a point of killing each other.
“Justice in our country has been deeply flawed for many years, primarily influenced by politics, which led to Rwandans being divided, failing to understand each other, and even killing one another. That is our past, and that is where we come from. We won’t accept to be taken back into that past. However, where we are headed, and it has been clear for a long time, is in a different and better direction, and it is necessary,” President Kagame said.
President Kagame said Rwanda cannot accept to be dragged back into her ugly past characterised by injustice and divisions.
As of today, he said what Rwanda is asking is for people to understand where the country has come from and follow the path of living in harmony, to uphold justice and the laws in place- a responsibility everyone has.
He said that even today, there are people who would wish to see Rwanda go back to that past, something he said his government would not allow and will deal with decisively. Without mentioning names, President Kagame seemed to refer to the likes of Victoire Umuhoza Ingabire and other exiled individuals who face accusations of trying to divide Rwandans along ethnic lines again.
“Even today, there are still individuals with ideas of taking us back to that past. In such cases, the law and justice must be enforced. If they are not enforced, other measures will be taken. That must stop,” President Kagame said, also referring to recent cases where survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi have been targeted and attacked.
“Killing people who have already been deprived of justice, and even lost [loved ones], and having a political agenda to push things in that direction of harming survivors, targeting them in their homes and killing them; laws must be upheld. If not, other actions will be taken,” the Head of State said, sending a stern warning that it must come to an end.
Incoming Chief Justice Mukatanganzwa takes oath of office.
“I am declaring this, I am saying it to you all, and everyone must hear me: it must stop. Those playing politics and making statements, whether they are outside the country, inside the country, and those who work with them, including foreigners who seem wanting to undermine this, to reduce it to nothing, should know that we are not nobodies,” he said.
I truly want this to stop there; let us strive to live together, to live well together, because we are all human beings, we are all equal. The equality that I am speaking of is about the rights that every individual has, no one is above another in terms of rights. That is what our justice system should help us achieve,” he emphasized.
President Kagame said that the country’s justice system and laws cannot be rendered meaningless or undermined in any way in the name of politics, adding that, where need be, the law will take its course and if not, other measures will be taken.
President Kagame commended the outgoing Chief Justice, Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo for diligent service, pointing out that he did what he could during his time in office, and the incoming Chief Justice and her deputy will pick it from there.
Deputy Chief Justice Hitiyaremye takes oath of office.
Among other things, he tasked them to ensure that the resources that are meant for the development of the country are safeguarded, so that nobody diverts them into their own pockets, warning that acts such as graft should not be tolerated because they set the country aback.
On her part, Mukantaganzwa, who has previously served in different capacities, including as head of the Rwanda Law Reform Commission and as head of Gacaca Courts, which handled Genocide cases, said that they are committed to dispense timely and reliable justice for Rwandans, because justice delayed is justice denied.
